Issuing so-called "mass mailings" is a common and accepted method of both merchandising and soliciting. Commonly, only a small fraction of the recipients of a mass mailing respond to the mass mailing. Evidently, one significant factor in the low response rate resides in the recognition by the recipient that a particular mailing piece is part of a mass mailing whereupon it is disposed of without being opened or otherwise considered. Nonetheless, even with low response rates, mass mailings are commercially viable.
At the same time, it has been recognized that even small increases in the rate of response to a mass mailing would considerably improve the economics of mass mailings as a merchandising or solicitation tool. Consequently, a number of efforts have been made to make the pieces of a mass mailing such that the recipient of the mailing piece would be more apt to open, and presumably consider the subject matter of, the mailing piece.
One common method used to obtain this goal is making the mailing pieces of a mass mailing appear to be individualized mailings, and not part of a mass mailing. This method is based on the perception that a recipient is much more inclined to open and consider a mailing piece that is addressed to the intended recipient personally and which appears to be sent to the intended recipient individually, than a mailing piece without either one or both of these attributes.
Another common technique is to provide the mailing piece with some sort of information on its exterior, which therefore is readily viewable by the recipient without opening the mailing piece and which appeals to some sense of the recipient. For example, a sweepstakes offer may be utilized to appeal to the recipient's desire for financial well being. Alternatively, a rhetorical question that appeals to the recipienty's sense of curiosity may be utilized.
Quite obviously, not all potential recipients for mass mailings respond to the same stimulus and as a consequence, it is desired to provide means in addition to those specified above for encouraging a recipient of a mass mailing piece to open the same and consider the subject matter thereof. The present invention is directed to accomplishing that goal.